Fully Funded Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program 2024-26

The Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJWBGSP) is open to nationals of developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying for a master’s degree program in a development-related topic.

Fully Funded Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
Fully Funded Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

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World Bank

The World Bank is the collective name for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), two of the five international organizations owned by the World Bank Group. It is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to governments of low- and middle-income countries to implement capital projects.

The World Bank Scholarship Program was launched in 1982. Students can pursue postgraduate studies in fields related to economic development. The World Bank’s Vice Presidency for Development Economics (DEC) provides fellowships to students and young researchers, contributing to the World Bank’s mission to create dynamic new approaches to capacity development and knowledge sharing in the developing world.

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Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

The Japan-World Bank Joint Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is managed with funding from the Japanese government and the World Bank; scholarships are awarded to individuals from World Bank member countries to study at renowned universities in other member countries. Since 1987, JJWBGSP has enabled more than 6,000 professionals from 160 developing countries and Japan to complete graduate studies in development-related fields. On an annual basis, the Japanese government solely funds the JJWBGSP.

Depending on available funding, the JJWBGSP offers scholarships for 45 participating master’s programs at 27 universities in the US, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and Japan in key development areas, including economic policy management, tax policy, and infrastructure management.

General Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program 2024-26, the candidate must:

  • Be a national of a developing country that is a member of the World Bank list (list given below);
  • Japanese mid-career professionals who have been admitted to or are currently enrolled in a master’s or Ph.D. graduate degree program outside of Japan can also apply.
  • Not have dual citizenship of any developed country;
  • To be in good health;
  • Hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) obtained at least 3 years before the application closing date;
  • Have 3 years or more of recent development-related work experience after obtaining a Bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree;
  • Be employed in development-related work in a full-time paid position at the time of applying for the scholarship. Have at least 3 years of paid development-related employment since obtaining a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent university degree) and obtained within the last 6 years from the application closing date.
  • On or before the scholarship application deadline, be unconditionally admitted for the upcoming academic year to at least one of the participating JJWBGSP master’s programs located outside the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of residence indicated at the time the call for applications opens for a scholarship. You need to upload the admission slip before submitting the application.
  • Must not be an Executive Director, his/her representative and/or employee of any type of appointment of the World Bank Group or a close relative by blood or adoption of the above with the term “close relative” defined as mother, father, sister, half-sister, brother, half-brother, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew.

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Countries Eligible for the JJWBGSP Scholarship

The JJ/WBGSP Scholarship provides the recipient with the following benefits:

  • Economy class air travel between your home country and the host university at the start of your study program and immediately after the end of the scholarship period. In addition to round-trip air travel, scholars will receive a travel allowance of $500 for each trip;
  • Tuition for your graduate program and the cost of basic health insurance obtained through the university.
  • On campus during the scholarship period, a monthly living allowance to cover all living expenses (accommodation, food, etc., including books). The amount of the allowance varies depending on the host country.

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Required Documents

Provide the following requirements while applying for the Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program:

  1. two letters of recommendation; from persons who have direct knowledge of the applicant’s professional work experience.
  2. documentation proving that the applicant meets the eligibility requirement considering the number of years of recent work related to the development.
  3. the applicant’s bachelor’s degree and possibly also a diploma, the applicant’s most advanced graduate degree. (Do not include a transcript or upload a transcript as a substitute for a diploma).
  4. C.V. in the format given in Appendix 4 and written in English or in the language of the master’s degree program that the applicant is pursuing JJWBGSP funding. If the job wasn’t paid, don’t list it on your resume. Instead, you can create a “Volunteer Work” category on your resume and list under this title unpaid internships or other unpaid work.
  5. unconditional acceptance letter for the upcoming term of the academic year to the participating master’s program JJ/WBGSP:
    1. which is among those listed on the JJWBGSP website;
    2. for which the applicant is applying for JJWBGSP financing; and
    3. which is located outside the applicant’s country of citizenship and country of permanent residence.

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How to Apply for Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship?

Submit an online application for the Joint Japan-World Bank Graduate Scholarship: The application will be accepted and reviewed if the applicant submits only one completed application electronically via an online application site by the application deadlines.

  1. One completed application form written either in English or in the language of their master’s degree.
  2. Upload the scanned copies of the documents mentioned above.

The link to the online JJWBGSP Application Form is only provided to applicants who have been shortlisted by JJWBGSP Participating Programs. Please contact the Participating Program you are interested in directly.

Note: The application windows will open soon at the dates given below.

Official Website:

JJWBGSP Deadlines and Timeline

The next window for scholarship applications will open in January and March 2024.

The deadlines for JJWBGSP are February 28, 2024, for the first application window and 26 May 2024 for the second application window.

Application Window#1
From January 16 to February 28, 2024, at noon Washington time
JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #1

Application Window #2
From March 27 to May 26, 2024, at noon Washington time
JJWBGSP Participating Programs accepting applications under Window #2

Note: The timeline for Japanese candidates is from February 6th to April 20th, 2024 at noon Washington time.

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